After Duke and North Carolina renew acquaintances, the second game of the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Women's Championship will pit the South Carolina Gamecocks against the Maryland Terrapins.
The No. 1 seed Gamecocks didn't romp Indiana the way they've romped so many other teams this season. Dawn Staley's squad actually trailed at the half. But Chloe Kitts stepped up with 10 points in the second half and South Carolina still managed to win by double digits, despite the halftime deficit.
Meanwhile, the No. 4 seed Terps are likely exhausted after a double overtime win over the Alabama Crimson Tide, who simply wouldn't go away until the very last botched possession of the game. It was one of the highest scoring games in the history of the women's bracket and it will be interesting to see if Maryland can refill its tank before Friday.
How to watch South Carolina vs. Maryland
- Date: Friday, March 28
- Time: 5:00pm ET
- Venue: Legacy Arena at BJCC in Birmingham, AL
- How to Watch (TV): ESPN
- Streaming: fubo TV
- South Carolina record: 32-3
- Maryland record: 25-7
South Carolina vs. Maryland odds, spread and total
Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook
Moneyline
- South Carolina -4000
- Maryland +1260
Spread
- South Carolina -17.5 (-106)
- Maryland +17.5 (-114)
Total
- 149.5 (over -110/under -110)
South Carolina injury report
- Ashlyn Watkins, F: Out (torn ACL)
Maryland injury report
- Bri McDaniel, G: Out (torn ACL)
South Carolina and Maryland series history
- South Carolina all-time record vs. Maryland: 6-2
South Carolina vs. Maryland prediction
Picking against Dawn Staley's South Carolina squads is a fool's errand. Las Vegas seems to agree, considering just how lopsided the betting line is for this game, despite Maryland being a top 20 team in the nation.
South Carolina's biggest advantage is its depth. The team lost one of its best players in forward Ashlyn Watkins to a torn ACL nearly three months ago. Yet the Gamecocks continue to roll ten deep with lineups that dominate every facet of the opposition.
Maryland does have some top-level talent of its own. Granted it was a double overtime came, but three players scored at least 24 points in the Round of 32 win over Alabama. Senior guard Shyanne Sellers is averaging 14.5 points and 4.1 assists per game and should have a career at the next level.
But that dramatic win over the Crimson Tide also exposed just how different Maryland and South Carolina re when it comes to their rotations. The game took 50 minutes, but the Terps got little in the way of minutes from their bench besides Mir McLean, who essentially played starter minutes instead of Christina Dalce. Otherwise, Saylor Poffenbarger played 15 minutes, Amari DeBerry played six and Emily Fisher played two.
Now, a gassed Maryland team will have to go up against a South Carolina team that expended a bit more energy than expected against Indiana in the last round, but is generally refreshed and well-rested. It's a recipe for disaster.
The last time these two teams met was early last season. South Carolina dropped more than 100 points and won by 38 points. This shouldn't be as big of a blowout, but the Gamecocks are heavily favored for a reason.
Prediction: South Carolina 90, Maryland 68